From left, Angela Horvath, Brenda Calvert, Sara Lewis, Marjorie Swearingen and Bobbie Downing, members of the Adams County collection center team. (Photo provided)
Submitted News
In all, 1,596 shoeboxes were filled with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and donated by churches, school groups and individuals from Adams County as Operation Christmas Child has ended another very successful year locally.
Operation Christmas Child also had 12 shipping boxes of filler items donated, which will be used at the national collection site. The West Union Christian Union Church was the Adams County collection center again this year, where many volunteers helped collect the shoeboxes, packed them into larger shipping boxes and hauled them to Hillsboro where they were loaded onto tractor trailers to be transported to North Carolina. Starting in December, hundreds of volunteers in North Carolina will inspect each shoebox before finally being packed for shipment to children in need around the world.
A big “Thank You” to all the churches and individuals who packed shoeboxes this year and to the people who worked at the West Union collection site.
If you, your church, school group, club or organization would like to be involved with the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Program next year, it is not too early to start. Many groups start early by purchasing one or two items each month or buying end-of-season sale items to spread the cost over the whole year. You may send a variety of toys, school supplies, or hygiene items. Do not put in candy, anything breakable, toothpaste, liquids or war toys.
If you are interested, would like more information, or would like someone to come to your church or organization to explain Operation Christmas Child, call or text Adams County Collection Center Coordinator Angela Horvath at (937) 217-6620.
Operation Christmas Child 2025 will start again in early October 2025 with local news articles and radio messages in preparation for the mid-November collection week.
On behalf of Operation Christmas Child, the Adams County collection center and the West Union Christian Union Church, thank you to everyone who had a part in filling a shoebox this year.
